FASHION POLICE: Rob Bell considers himself the most stylish guy on the team. So when rookie Rocco Baldelli broke down and asked him for some fashion advice on a shopping trip in Boston last week, Bell jumped at the chance.
"For a guy who got $2-million to sign, he looks like he gets dressed in the dark," Bell said.
He described Baldelli's current wardrobe as "fraternity house haute couture" and said Baldelli's tastes run toward "banker casual."
"I told him to stick with me, though I couldn't promise I'd take him to the varsity," Bell said. Baldelli ended up with a fancy Hugo Boss suit.
TOURIST ALERT: Knowing he wasn't going to be working in October, manager Lou Piniella and his wife, Anita, made plans to spend 21/2 weeks playing tourists throughout Spain and Italy. They'll see the sights, drink some wine and visit the cities where their families came from. "I'm going to need that trip," Piniella said.
GEE, UM, THANKS: Baldelli was opening fan mail Friday when he came across an envelope with an 8x10 photo he was asked to sign and send back. One problem: It was a photo of teammate Ben Grieve.
Baldelli had some fun with his reply: "I wrote on there that I was happy to sign this picture of Ben Grieve, and if they sent me another one I'd be happy to sign that, too."
HISTORICAL ACCOMPLISHMENTS
Sure, Carl Crawford can become the fourth-youngest player to win a league stolen-base crown, Aubrey Huff can lead the league in doubles and chase down the team home run and RBI records and Baldelli can strengthen his bid for rookie of the year.
But the Rays head into the final week of the season closing in on some other interesting feats:
Victor Zambrano, with two starts left, can become the third pitcher in history to lead his league in the "triple crown" of walks, hit batters and wild pitches. Brooklyn's Hal Gregg did it in 1944 and Cleveland's George Uhle (who, somehow, was 27-11) in 1927.
Overall, the Rays can become the first team to lead the AL in walks, hit batters and wild pitches since the 1981 Blue Jays. They also can become the second team in the past 25 years (joining the 1996 Royals) to lead the AL in stolen bases and finish last.
With 10 more hits by Crawford, they can be the third team in the past 64 years to have three outfielders with 175 each, joining the 1999 Royals (Carlos Beltran, Johnny Damon and Jermaine Dye) and 1954 Cardinals (Wally Moon, Stan Musial and Rip Repulski). Of the 20 teams overall to do it, the Rays trio would be the youngest.
Baldelli is four shy of moving into the top 20 all-time for hits by a rookie (180), with a shot at the top 15 (186). He also can become the fifth rookie in the past 35 years to lead the AL in outfield assists. Together, Baldelli, 21, and Crawford, 22, have 341 hits. The last teammates that young to have that many were Bobby Doerr (22) and a guy named Ted Williams (21), who had 366 in 1940.
BIG NUMBER - 22.4: Percent of Rays runs scored or driven in by Huff (153 of 683)
YOU DON'T SAY
"I'm just going to have about six beers, sit in the hotel room and watch TV and not think about it."
- AUBREY HUFF, Rays rightfielder on preparing for the daunting prospect of facing Red Sox ace Pedro Martinez.
[Last modified September 21, 2003, 02:03:13]
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